Short hops and hard knocks with Red Sox beat writer Ian Browne.

Gonzalez targets next week for debut

Adrian Gonzalez went through a full round of batting practice on the field at City of Palms Park today and anticipates playing in his first exhibition game by next week, though he did leave wiggle room to get in there a little sooner.

“Tomorrow I’ll hit again on the field if everything feels good tomorrow morning and see how it responds hitting back-to-back days,” Gonzalez said. “Right now, the plan is to take it easy on Thursday. I don’t think I’m going to be off, but I’m going to back off and give it a rest so I can start planning out for some kind of game action next week sometime, maybe even earlier, I don’t know. Maybe next week sometime.”

One thing Gonzalez wants to make clear is that the injury and subsequent surgery should have minimal impact on his offensive performance.

“The biggest change for me to be able to dive after a ball on defense,” Gonzalez said. “That’s the biggest plan because I could hit last year, no problem. But I was limited in diving. That’s the biggest reason I had it. It wasn’t for my hitting. After I did it three or four times and everything flared up, it wasn’t feeling good. You teach yourself to stop diving.”

I am hoping Adrian transitions smoothly to Fenway. I hope he can get his sea legs under him and get his stroke working while still in ST, so that he doesn’t take too much time to get going during the season! GO ADRIAN! GO SOX!

A little disconcerting seeing Ryan Dent in the lineup, considering that he is Bucky Fn Dent’s son. (MLB Network is also replaying Bucky’s game…) :/ Also strange to see a “Rice” pitching for us– his pitching line looks like a game total for Jim Rice… things that make you say HMMMMMMM… GO SOX!

Arnie, I’m coming after you in the fantasy league!!!! lol!! Good Luck to you this season!!
To Arnie, Greg, Garry, Judge all of the other regulars:
My back is still the same but I have more to take my mind off of it; I have a new job. It’s not going good… It’s going GREAT!! I LOVE IT, and they seem to love me. The 2 owners stopped by my office today to tell me that i was doing a “fantastic” job! Today was a bear, but their good words made it worthwhile.
I am dispatching for a Medical Refrigeration Company (AIR-EZE SCIENTIFIC)whose list of clients includes University of Miami (It’s all about the”U”) and all the related medical branches like UM Jackson Memorial, University of Florida and their medical branches and many more hospitals and research labs. We install, repair and maintain the refrigeration systems that support genetic studies and the like. The entire state of Florida is our region.
It’s a very busy office with a lot of very nice people including a bookkeeper who is from Lowell Mass. and and that’s a good thing to keep my mind off my back.
I am SOOOOO looking forward to 1st pitch this season. It’s been a long long winter w/out out our boys of summer. I am getting a very nice birthday present in June. I get to travel to Tampa/St. Pete to see our beloved REDSOX take on the “DEVIL” Rays. They start a 3 game series on June 14th, my birthday. I’ll be spouting off about this many times between now and then I am sure!!!
I’ll be in and out between now and OPENING DAY.. BTW, there is a REDSOX bar right down the street from my office, so I won’t miss opening day!!!

That’s fantastic news about the job, Ellen. I’m so glad that you like it. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving person.

I think I am going to sign up for the MLB premium TV this season. That way I can choose the announcers. No more listening to the other team’s broadcasters whining. And trust me, the Sox are going to give them LOTS to whine about this year.

I have directv and couldnt be happier. I get the Redsox announcers about 99% of the time. David gets me the MLB package for Christmas.
On a lighter (or heavier in this case) note, I live in a glass house so I shouldn’t t hrow baseballs, but I think Bobby Jenks needs to call Jenny! Jenny Craig that is!! lol.. a little more tread on the spare tire! L OL

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